Oh the serenity

I don't know how many of us really need to go on vacation.  I've been on vacation from my home all summer, because I work far from my home.  While I love my temporary living conditions I am exhausting myself in new ways that had never occurred to me back in my home town.  For instance I'm now keeping myself busy following the news and playing music.  You'd think that wouldn't take up that much time but I'm up until one every night and wake up 6 to 7 hours later to work with children all day.  I am tired.  I recently even took a weekend up north and was so busy that it tired me out more than anything.

Where is the serenity?

Please do yourself a favor and find it.

That's all I can say to it.  At least for someone in your specific situation.  Even if you think it would drive you bonkers, still try and find it.  Why?  Because, you need to; no ands ifs or buts about it.  It is really that simple.  

I would be a terrible persuader if I left it at that.  So how about somethings to chew on.  (Note: if you are not religious, particularly not in an Abrahamic religion, some of this might not be suited for you)  

There is a particular story about Elijah that can really help spell out why you really do need serenity.  The story comes from 1 kings 19: 11-12.  This is the story where Elijah goes up onto mount Horeb and listens for the Lord.  Now Elijah in doing this has already separated himself from all of the distractions.  But that doesn't mean that it'll be easy to hear the Lord, for there is a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire that all come to pass while Elijah is listening.  However, after the fire there is a whisper.  In fact, it is called a gentle whisper.  Basically it's very, very quiet.  It is in the silence that follows all of the loudness, that Elijah can hear the Lord.  

It is in the Serenity.  The absolute mountaintop serenity.  If you want to show this sometime there is a cool activity that a bunch of people can do.  You'll need yourself and some others minimum.  I would say 6 or seven actually doing the activity.  If you have an unknowing audience it works really well.  In fact, everyone except for you and one other should be totally oblivious to what you're showing.  Pick your one person before hand(person 2... you are person 1) and tell them that as soon as the exercise begins they should constantly say very softly things like "I'm here... don't worry... I'm right over here"  They should also include the name of person 3.  Select person 3.  Then select persons 4, 5, 6, 7, 8ish... however many you have.

send person 3 out of earshot for a minute.  Tell other volunteers their jobs.  These jobs are things like acting like the T.V., Radio, Friends, School etc.  Then have person 3 come back.  Then narrate their lives.  Talk about them waking up, having to go to school/work, hanging out with friends, listening to music etc.  As you mention something that another person is assigned to they should begin to act it out.  They should be loud... Not overbearing but loud.  As soon as one of them starts have person 2 should start with their things, and be un-obvious about it.  After you get everyone going start to take away the loud people one at a time until all have faded away.  Person 2 keeps going.  It is not until all the sound has died away that person 3 or the audience, or anyone else who wasn't let in on the plan, should know that person 2 is speaking.  You then explain that they've been talking the entire time.

It is in the serenity that we can hear God.  Our connection to God is the most important thing that we have. 

Working with kids is a very loud job.  Reading the news isn't a very loud endeavor.  Both are noisy though.

So where is the serenity?

For me it is in playing music.  The only song that I have learned completely on my guitar thus far is one of my all time favorite songs.  It's "Worlds Apart" by Jars of Clay.  It is in this song that I find my serenity.

My serenity isn't in total silence, and if you can't stand silence than yours might not be either.

Oh the serenity, how you comfort me